Ancient skeletons of largest-ever marsupial unearthed in Australia

[Eldorado]

The skeletons belong to Diprotodon, which is related to wombats and koalas and lived during the Pleistocene epoch (about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago). These megafauna were giants, and grew up to 5.6 feet (1.7 meters) tall at the shoulder, 12.5 feet (3.8 m) long and could weigh 3.1 tons (2.8 metric tons).

Researchers have found at least 10 Diprotodon skeletons at the site but have yet to excavate them fully. Adults and juveniles may be among the fossils, which could mean the site was on a major migration route for Diprotodon, the team said in a statement released by the Western Australian Museum on Oct. 19.

https://www.livescience.com/animals/extinct-species/ancient-skeletons-of-largest-ever-marsupial-unearthed-in-australia

[Alchopwn]

Pfft.  This is a BS Australian animal.  I bet it wasn't even poisonous.

[Cho Jinn]

A bunyip would eat this thing for breakfast.

[Jon the frog]

Did they found some some with hunting/butchery marks on bones ?

[Eldorado]

On 12/3/2023 at 3:57 PM, Jon the frog said:

Did they found some some with hunting/butchery marks on bones ?

On one rib, there is a small, square hole tentatively identified as having been made by a spear while the bone was still fresh. This is one of the few pieces of evidence that humans may have hunted Diprotodon.

https://australian.museum/learn/australia-over-time/extinct-animals/diprotodon-optatum/